Cycling path: K5 – The path to Tinjan – from sea to stone

We start at the parking place from where we drive along the cycling path of Health and Friendship – Parenzana (D-8) which runs parallel to the highway along Škocjanski zatok. At the end of the road we turn right over above the highway and take the first road left towards Bertoki. From there, we continue along the main road till the crossroads where we turn right on the path of Health and Friendship (D-8). We follow the path over the fertile valley towards Rižana, continue under the railway tracks, pass along the dormer train station Dekani towards the main road (Drekani – Koper). We cross it on the left side and immediately turn right, up to the parking place below Lama factory, where we cross the road bridge over the highway and continue, along the picturesque pine forest towards the first houses and the school of Škofuje. We follow the trail markers of the D-8 track which direct us first left and than right to the main square in front of the church of St. Mathew, where are also the store, post and inns. From here we continue along the main road towards Trieste and leave it after 200 metres (signpost Plavje). From here, we sweep down to the bridge at the bottom of the valley, where the long climb towards the top of Tinjan starts. We pass the village of Plavje, driving by the church of St. Lucia and St. Rocco, up towards the two crossroads where we turn left. We pass the two water reservoirs and climb on the plateau, where the road straightens till the village of Urbanci. Here ends the asphalt, while the road starts to sweep gently towards the upper part of the mount Tinjan, which we clearly see in front of us. Since we relaxed after almost two kilometres of straight road, we can climb the last slope which brings us, in an arc on right, to the top with the church of St. Michael and the branchy linden tree. At the only crossroad of the cartroads we continue straight ahead, the right road is too steep and the left will be use for the descent. A marvellous view opens from the top. We can drive around the top and then back between the houses to the original path, sweep to the first crossroad where we turn right (direction Osp, Rižana) and than even steeper towards the following crossroads where we turn left (red signpost Rižana) to a narrow cartroad which sweeps into the pine forest. Be careful – the road is damaged in some sections! A better and less steep macadam road joins from the right side which brings us to the asphalt in front of the road bridge over the highway. Before the road bridge, as soon as the asphalt starts, we turn right to a dynamic service road which sweeps along the highway to the valley of Rižana. We turn left twice at two crossroads and end the descent arriving at the main road, where from the left, joins the original track K2 (Path around Tinjan). We cross the main road and continue straight ahead to the bridge over the railway tracks and then right, passing by the houses. Between the tracks and the river, we reach the picturesque part of the ditches on Rižana. We continue along the river and than turn left over the bridge, arriving at the courtyard of the wine cellar Bordon. We cross the bridge, turn right toward the concrete factory, where we turn left and immediately right to the narrow asphalt road. We pass Mikoti and along the macadam reach the bridgehead along the track Parenzana (D-8). Here we turn left towards a larger bridge over Rižana and continue along the cycling path D-8 till reaching the main road for Bertoki, where we turn left and continue towards the highway. From here, we return along the known path to our starting point.

The height of the path: the starting point 3 m, the peak 364 m, the climb 483 m

GPS-track: K5 – Tinjan.gpx

Characteristics of the road: the track is suitable for experienced cyclists who enjoy in descents on rough soil. The path climbs to the peak of Tinjan (374 m), which is circled at the foothills by the circle part K2. Marvellous view opens from the top on the Gulf of Trieste and Koper with the hinterland, the valley of Osp and the Kars border, in clear days we can see the peaks of Giulian and Carnian Alps and Dolomites.

Curiosities along the path: church of St. Lucia and Rock in Plavje, the village of Tinjan with the ancient church of St. Miechale, numerous panoramic spots, the river Rižana, the Nature reserve Škocjanski zatok